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My Ugly Betty Moment

I am officially having a pure, Ugly Betty moment. The worst is that it is not just a moment but is going to be my life for the next two years. Worse still is that I have chosen to live this… what can I possibly me talking about?

Ugly Betty and her braces

Braces! That’s what!

I’ve never been happy with my teeth or dents de bonheur as I’m told they’re called in French (teeth of happiness) because of the large gap between my front teeth. I did wear braces when I was younger but the orthodontist messed up and then lost my files when my parents queried why my teeth were still gappy.

A few years ago, I was told that I would have to wear braces on my bottom teeth as they were turning in on each other or risk loosing them as I got older.

So this year I decided to grab the bull by the horns and get my teeth all sorted, in search of a Hollywood Smile.

Today was the big day and I had one set of braces fitted behind my top teeth. Esthetically they’re great as you cannot see them, but practically they’re a disaster as I cannot eat or talk.

Do you notice how you run your tongue around the back of your teeth? Well I never did and now that I can’t I find it impossible to eat. Not to mention chew. I cannot chew because of the spacers they have stuck to my bottom and top teeth to stop the two sets touching and thus ruining all of the dentistry I’m having. This is already seriously hampering with my food intake meaning I can only eat things like mashed potato and soup. I have to admit that it’s an excellent remedy for dieting but for once in my life I was not trying to loose weight!

In less than a month I will turn 30 and yet here I am sounding like a 12 year each time I open my mouth to speak. Apparently I don’t sound as bad when I speak in English, but when I speak in French it is la cata!

The funniest thing is that I now eat like a granny and speak like a pre-teen!

Having received a devis for orthodontic treatment, I can only tremble at what your mouth may be costing! I have a mutuelle de merde so they didn’t agree to fund and so I didn’t have the treatment, not that it shows. I may be warped with an arthritic jaw when I’m old and doddery though in which case I’ll just live off gin.

Good luck with the brace, I suppose you’ll get used to it though it might surprise your customers initially!! lol

Erm, sorry Piglet, I’m not leaving random messages. I wrote one when I was logged into my mother’s website and it got posted, and then it wasn’t posted any more but by which time I had posted the second.

How long do you have to wear them for? Good on you, that takes some courage. If it makes you feel any better though, the French seem to just love the ‘dent de bonheur’, I think they find it sexy!

I had braces from around 17-20. I think you get used to the whole eating thing pretty quickly, I never really had any interferences problems, the only thing was once the doctor didn’t cut the wire enough and it bothered me so much I had to go to an emergency dental clinic to get it cut (it was New Years Day or something so it was my only choice).

I reckon it’ll probably take about 3 weeks before it starts to feel comfortable, hang in there!

I’ve now had the lingual braces on for 24 hours and whilst my speech has improved a bit, eating is still a painful and laborious task as it cleaning my teeth.

I’ve also discovered another inconvenience and that is that you cannot swallow in the same way as usual, apparently the tongue has to adapt and every time I swallow I gag. I really hope this is part of the adaptation process as I cannot talk for more than one short phrase at a time! Hubby thinks it’s hilarious as its like an anti-talking, anti-eating contraption… something he thought I’d never be able to do!

Last night I went to bed in tears after spending a good time gagging, I really hope I get used to them soon otherwise I think I have made a majorly expensive mistake…

I get my bottom braces in 4 weeks and then I will have to wear both sets for 18 months to 2 years.

My mutuelle is thankfully a bit better than Sarah’s although it hardly covers the cost of the overall treatment but has contributed largely to the difference between normal and lingual braces which are the ones that I have and that go behind the teeth. Whether this is a good thing I now don’t know as my internet research (carried out last night, so a bit late) has taught me that a lot of people experience the problems I am going through.

As for mr “dents de bonheur” well, after years of being taunted at school and being called Bugs Bunny I have come to hate them. They’re all I can see in a photo and when I look at myself in the mirror and I’ve always wanted the chance to correct them. Maybe I’ll loose some of my character I don’t know, but I think I will feel more confident afterwards and will hopefully smile more.
ps. No earpieces for me! I had my hearing tested this summer and thankfully it’s perfect! I do wear glasses though…

Good for you Piglet. You’ll get past the eating thing. Those of us that like to eat always do! And I’m reasonably sure that the good luck associated with a space between your teeth, does not subside when the teeth are brought closer together. It’s genetic…decided at birth. 18 months is a short time in the space of a lifetime. Enjoy your newly found stardom, Ugly Betty.

I feel for you, I really truly do. I turned 34 this year and for the first time in my life I am battling acne!! At the same time, the first wrinkles have appeared around my mouth and my eyes. How great is that?

acne and wrinkles – they just don’t sound like they go together do they? I hope you are winning your battle wth both.

I regularly inspect my face for wrinkles and so far I’m doing okay, I think my skin is quite oily so hopefully it will remain that way. I also never smile, never frown, never eat or pull faces… if only! I don’t think I’m doing too bad but only time will tell!

Well, what can I say… in my country we use this only for children-it is not popular, and not because of the price, because stomatology is very afordable over here,but mainly because people don’t invest much in teeth unless there is something reilly serious….The only person I know wearing braces is the daughter of a neighbour ( she is 12) . After all, if it makes you happy, then do it. I don’t think your teeth will fall in time because of that gap. Madonna has a big one and never bothered about it. In my country this type teeth are considered a mark for a woman who is good in bed ! Noone would pay and wear bracers 18 months to get rid of it ! Or wouldn’t do it even if it were free :))) So,it is a matter of perspective.

My teeth have bothered me for ages and whilst the top ones are medically fine, the bottom ones aren’t and I would risk loosing them later on, so that’s why I decided to bite the bullet and get both sets done at the same time.

I always think that everyone in France has perfect teeth and eversince coming here I have dreamed of getting them done, so I guess now I will suffer and then I will be okay!

Hello, my dear! I am sorry it has been a blue moon’s age since I have popped by your bloghome to say hello. But I went to bed last night thinking about you, and thinking, “I really need to say hello to Piglet tomorrow.” So here I am and it is not even six am yet. :) I wanted you to know I am still a dedicated blogfriend even when I am not around. :)

Ahhhhhh, the grown-up braces. I’ve had a couple of friends that have had them & they were both in their 40s. (Well, one was maybe about 38 or 39 when she got them. She was close to 40, anyway.)

You know what? Paul noticed the gap in your photos when he saw you for the first time (the ones I took of us), and he was absolutely delighted with your look. He thought your teeth were very, very cute. And I have to agree — I was thinking about some of the models and actresses that have had gaps, and it makes them very cute, I think, too (Vanessa Paradis is one, and while I know some may not like her, I really do).

However, I know that we each of us have features about ourselves that drive us mad, and which if we could, we would invest to change. Since there is a good dental and medical reason for you to change things, too, all the more reason to go ahead and do what you have done.

I’m so sorry this has been pain in the ass — uhhh teeth — though. I can’t imagine it is fun to go through what you are. My son took forever to get used to his braces, but they are also now *off* and the time seemed to fly by. I hope that the experience will be similar for you — that you will adjust and adapt quickly, and that the need for them will pass quickly. And I hope in the end that you receive results with which you are happy. :)

And that’s where the focus needs to be: what will make YOU happy?

Best being “Betty.” But I am not going to use the word “Ugly” because not only are you cute, but you have a cute spirit and personality to match, braces or no. So you just keep on being your cute self. ;-)

Thanks Karin. I am amazed by your dedication and eternally grateful for your kind words not to mention logging on to here before 6am… Thank you so much.

Its much more socially acceptable to get braces as an adult now so that’s good news at least. I’m still getting used to them and I don’t think its going to be a quick process but the good news is that my teeth are already moving and it’s only been two weeks!!! I am astounded!

Seeing all the comments here about gaps being cute and good luck etc have made me question what I’m doing but as you say we each have features about ourselves that drive us mad. I can’t wipe out years of being called bugs bunny and I want to feel happy in my body, we all have our hang ups and one of my big ones is my teeth. My Gran had her gap closed in old age (after 70 but I don’t know how old she is) and still has her own teeth so I know it’s not just me in my family that it drives mad.

Thank you for all your kind words, I have never thought of myself as cute before, its a nice thought :)

Well, Paris Paul and Paris Karin think you are adorable. :) I say just doooo eeeeet with the whole braces thing because it will make you happier. No better reason than that to plunge ahead, IMHO. So don’t question it. You’re doing the right thing. ;-)

That’s exciting you are already seeing progress! Seeing progress like that makes the pain worth it, a little bit, I hope.

I know the pain you feel. I had braces for almost 4 years during high school and it was surprise for some people to see me without it (I started high school when I was already wearing them)! Even I didn’t remember how I looked without them! LOL! But now I am soooooo glad that my mom forced me to wear them because I have a beautiful smile. :o) Hehe. Don’t worry about the pain – it will get easier with time. Eat lots of liquids like yogurts etc. Always think of your fabulous smile! Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by Petit and sharing your experience. It’s lovely to see and get to know new readers and blogs here.

I haven’t had much time to check out the blogosphere these last few weeks as I’ve had a lot going on with work but I’ve stopped by your blog which looks really fun and have started following it. As soon as things are less crazy here you can count me in as a new reader!

4 years is a really really long time, thankfully I don’t think I’ll have to have them on for anywhere near as long – that really puts things in perspective for me!

Beautiful smile is great motivation, I will have to think about that all the time, especially when I’m eating!